Ships battled 37ft waves off Cornwall and 41ft waves off Scotland’s west coast as night-time temperatures dipped to -4C.

A Government level two cold weather alert is in place until Friday, with health staff on standby to make daily contact with the elderly, ill and vulnerable.

Met Office weather experts said drifts of 4in were widespread, with 3in in Northumberland, 2in across Cumbria and the south-west and West Yorkshire given a heavy covering.

Some forecasters warned of a further “significant snow event” on Sunday.

The latest chill comes less than a fortnight after widespread snow and ice killed up to 20 people before floods from melting ice surged into thousands of homes.

Met Office forecaster Dan Williams said: “There’s a lot of wintry weather this week, with snow, ice, fog and strong winds, so people should keep up to date with forecasts.

“Wednesday will see wintry showers in the north and east, with Thursday drier before more widespread light snow and sleet into Friday.

“After a drier Saturday, a front moving from west to east brings the risk of more widespread snow on Sunday and into next week. Although details are uncertain, disruption is a risk.”

Forecaster Brian Gaze of The Weather Outlook added: “A significant snow event is possible late in the weekend and at the beginning of next week, with cold air and low pressure meaning a lot of precipitation falls as snow.”

Meanwhile an air-sea search for a missing crewman was called off in the English Channel last night.

The sailor fell overboard in high winds five miles south off Eastbourne, East Sussex.